Learning to Read
by N Harmonic
Summary: Summary: Ace has never had it easy when it came to reading; the words just jumbled up in his head and it made him feel stupid! In the end, he just never bothered to read; then he became a Whitebeard pirate, and then a commander. A commander that did paperwork… He never told anyone on the crew; he didn't have to though. His family cared enough to realize on their own. Dyslexic!Ace


**Learning to Read**

 **Summary: Ace has never had it easy when it came to reading; the words just jumbled up in his head and it made him feel stupid! In the end, he just never bothered to read; then he became a Whitebeard pirate, and then a commander. A commander that did paperwork… He never told anyone on the crew; he didn't have to though. His family cared enough to realize on their own. Dyslexic!Ace**

 **~?~?~?~**

There was an unwelcome, weary silence on the _Moby Dick_ , everyone being quick on their feet to move out of the way of their resident first mate. Marco was fairly unhappy, whether it was about a prank or something else, was unknown, they just knew to get out the man's way as he stomped through the halls.

Marco grumbled under his breath; walking towards the room of the person who had him so annoyed. He pounded on their door before entering without permission.

"Ace! Where's your paperwork?" Marco asked, his tone angry, as he closed the door.

Ace jerked up, looking highly alert and frightened. Marco paused in surprise, seeing Ace burning something. Instantly he moved to stop the new second commander.

"Ace!" he barked. and ran forward.

"Marco!" Ace shouted back in surprise, and reabsorbed the flame. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing?" Marco countered, leaning over the fire user. "You're supposed to be completing this paperwork; not destroying it! Your division takes care of weaponry! If this paperwork isn't done and done correctly then the whole family would be in danger if there was an attack!"

By now Ace was clearly feeling guilty, his head down, his back hunched, and his fists clenched. Marco saw the vulnerable state his younger brother was in and he sighed in defeat. He was silent for a moment, they both were, and Marco backed up a step to give the other space.

"What were you doing Ace?" he asked, his tone more gentle. "I know paperwork is time consuming, and that there are better things to do, but you knew this was important. We told you'd be the commander of weapons and that the family's safety rested on your work."

Ace remained silent, not looking at his brother. Marco put his hand on Ace's shoulder and Ace lifted his head but still didn't look at him.

"You can tell me anything Ace," Marco said firmly, "I know we haven't known each other long but you're my brother and I'm yours. If you have something to say, you can tell me."

Ace frowned, glancing at Marco before looking away. "And if I don't want everyone to know," he murmured.

Marco frowned too. "Then I'll keep it to myself, but Ace," Ace looked at the phoenix and Marco pointed at the door. "Everyone on this ship is your family. My father is your father, and my siblings are your siblings. You don't walk alone anymore; we're all behind you."

Ace remained silent, looking at the door as he too thought his new brothers and sisters and father. "I can't read," he finally uttered, not looking at the other man.

Marco's eyes briefly widened. "What?" he replied in surprise.

In the world and era they lived in today; everyone knew how to read and write. It was a liberty that most grew up with, save the homeless or slaves. Marco knew how to read long before he reached Ace's current age. It was a shock to him, and probably everyone, to hear of anyone who couldn't read.

"I can't read," Ace repeated, then looked at Marco with desperation. "I've tried; I swear! But-! But…" Ace looked down, gripping his hair. "It all comes in weird and I don't understand…"

Marco's eyebrows furrowed before turning to the table. He picked up a pencil and wrote on a paper that survived. "Ace, can you read this?" he asked gently.

Ace flinched and looked at the word. Ace bit his lip, nearly cutting through it; so many letters. He couldn't make out a word, hell, some of the letters weren't even letters. He didn't know if it was a word in the English lanuage, or a foreign language with strange symbols.

Finally he whispered, "...I don't know..."

Marco held in a sigh. "It says dyslexia," he corrected gently, and then sat down on Ace's desk.

Ace looked away again. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't apologize Ace," Marco said. "There's nothing wrong with it. It just means you and I look at words differently."

"I can't read," Ace repeated, this time with contempt. Contempt with himself.

Marco frowned. "Neither could Thatch, once upon a time," he said.

Ace bitterly rolled his eyes. "No one could before they learned," he grumbled.

Marco chuckled. "Not Thatch," he disagreed. "Thatch couldn't read big words; or he'd read his reports and then would forget what they said. He just didn't process them like everyone else could."

Ace looked at Marco with hopeful eyes. "What did he do?" he asked.

Marco smiled. "Thatch told us," he replied, "He told us he was having trouble and that he thought he needed help. So we helped him."

Ace frowned. "How can you help me?" he asked.

Marco grinned. "Practice makes perfect," he replied, and stood. "Until then, I'll go back to doing your paperwork, and in return, you learn to read."

Ace stared at him before finally he nodded. "Okay," he consented.

 _~With Marco, Day 5~_

Ace sat at Marco's coffee table, reading and sounding out words with Thatch over his shoulder; Marco was near them, doing his and Ace's paperworks. When Ace and Marco had told the other commanders about his reading issues, they'd all been understanding and with him in every way. Thatch was especially understanding, more than happy to help his newest brother learn to read, just as he had.

"Oh look… Sue," Ace read slowly. "See Ba- Bi-."

"Dick," Thatch said quietly. "Vista taught me to remember that 'D' and 'B' look similar but 'B' has two arches."

Ace nodded and continued, "See Dick… qu-play," Ace read.

Marco looked at them with a gentle smile as he watched his brothers work together. The learning process was still sticky, Ace put up a fight and threw tantrums when he first started. but they put him straight. Once they realized that Ace felt stupid for having so much trouble where they had none, they all worked together to tell Ace that he was no different from any of them, he just needed a little extra work.

"This book is stupid," Ace grouched, throwing it closed.

Thatch tried to reassure him and Marco kept in a sigh. Maybe a lot of work; either way, they'd help him.

 _~With Izou and Marco, Day 10~_

"Eight and three look alike," Izou said, writing down the numbers, "But it's important to try and not mistake them."

"After all eight bullets is better than three," Marco added, twirling a pen.

Ace peered over his paperwork, which Marco and Izou were helping him to read and fill-out. "But how will I be able to tell?" he asked. "Seven and one look the same too…"

"We'll just have to remember to write the reports in a way you'll understand for now," Marco said, and wrote down the two numbers.

"One can be a straight line," Izou said, nodding, "And when you write seven, but a line through the middle. That's how Thatch learned to tell them apart."

"And eight and three?" Ace asked curiously.

"Eight and three will be harder," Izou acknowledged. "But my office is always open if you need help tell them apart."

"Same," Marco said.

Ace smiled at them and he nodded. "Got it," he said.

 _~Ace and Whitebeard, Day 20~_

Ace jokingly knocked on Whitebeard's throne with a grin. "Paper's here Oyaji," Ace said, holding up the newspaper.

It's been nearly three weeks since Ace has begun to read with his siblings helping him. He was catching on quickly even if he still had trouble with a lot of bigger words and letters like 'b' and 'd'. He actually did his paperwork by himself yesterday, Marco sitting in the room to help him if needed but Ace had done it. Ace's confidence was on a whole new high; he had never felt so proud of himself before.

Whitebeard smiled at his son; seeing his happiness. "Good morning my son," he said and took the paper.

Ace couldn't suppress his giddiness and he giggled. "G'Morning," he said.

Ace turned to leave but Whitebeard stopped him. "Sit with me Ace," he said.

Ace paused and turned to him in surprise. "Sit?" he replied.

Whitebeard sighed in self-pity. "I'm getting on in my age Ace; my eyes can't see as well," he said and then grinned at Ace, offering the young man his hand. "Read to me?"

Ace stared at his father before he beamed and hopped up onto the throne. He went to sit on the arm but yelped when Whitebeard dragged him to sit on the giant's thigh. Whitebeard smiled and leaned back. giving his son the paper. Ace unfolded it and put it on his lap, tracing the first word with his finger.

"Newest rookie pirate… Dig-."

"Big," Whitebeard correctly gently, glancing over his son's shoulder.

"Big-Head Johnson… has struck ge-yet ay-again," Ace read, the grimaced. "Sorry Oyaji, I still stutter a bit."

"What stutter?" Whitebeard asked, his eyes closed to focus. "Please, continue. What has this new brat done?"

Ace smiled, a small blush appearing on his cheeks. "Big-Head is steb-stead-steadily…"

 _~Ace, Day 45~_

 **Knock, knock.**

"Yes!" Ace called, sifting through his paperwork.

The door opened and Ace glanced up to see his friend, Teach, peeked his head in.

The gap-toothed man smiled. "Ace-taicho, its dinner time," he said.

Ace jolted and looked to the clock; sure enough it was time for dinner. "I hadn't realized so much time had passed," he said in surprise and stood.

"Zehahaha!" Teach laughed, smacking the commander's shoulder. "I see reading has come easier to you Ace-taicho."

Ace grinned. "Yea its really starting to kick in now," he said.

Teach had found out early that Ace was having trouble reading and had even helped him to learn by reading out wanted posters. Of course, after Teach found out, being the gossip he was, soon everyone knew but by then Ace was more confident with himself. It was through Teach that everyone else learned of his disability, and Ace was shocked and overjoyed to learn that everyone was there for him. Ace had never felt so loved as everyone worked to help him read to. Ace could read nearly as well as Thatch now.

Ace smiled at Teach. "And it's all thanks to you guys, my family," he said.

Teach returned the smile, squeezing Ace's shoulder. "Of course taicho," he replied.

Ace and Teach turned around the corner and Teach opened the door for his captain. Ace thanked him with a nod and walked in.

"Congratulations!"

Ace jolted with a gasp, Teach catching him while laughing. The galley was filled to the brim with his family, food, and booze; everyone was smiling brightly. Whitebeard, Marco, Thatch, and Izou, his main teachers, were all in the back, glowing with pride and smiling their praise. Ace was shocked for only a moment before he himself beamed.

"Everyone!" he shouted back with a laugh. "Thank you!"

 **End.**

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 **That was obviously sped up dramatically; I know, not from experience, that it would probably take a lot longer for someone with dyslexia to learn to read, I just sped it along a little(or alot)... Ace is still having trouble, of course, but this was the gist of it.**

 **I also don't know the learning curve of dyslexics so I don't know how to teach them or how they learn to read in the end.**

 **Gomen for my ignorance! (bows at waist)**

 **R &R, Ja ne~!**


End file.
